GCSE History

Ashbourne’s history students travel back more than 800 years, from the signing of the Magna Carter to Elizabethan England and end up with the Second World World, exploring how the events, people and ideas of the past that have shaped our world today.

Students use their detective skills to analyse, evaluate and interpret a wide range of sources so they can build a picture of the past and debate the issues from differing views.

We encourage our students to take advantage of the fantastic selection of exhibitions and events taking place in London, as well as the historic buildings, to help students contextualise their studies and get a taster of what life might have been like in the past.

Students receive plenty of individual help in the class and extensive exam technique practice.

Why study History at GCSE?

Studying History helps us make sense of the world we live in now by revealing how the events and developments of the past have influenced and shaped society, politics, economics and culture.

The huge range of skills you learn studying History – being able to critically analyse information, sifting out what is truly important and drawing conclusions from your research – are highly transferable and will assist you in many aspects of your life, both academically and personally.

History is a very highly regarded subject and excellent foundation for many degree courses.

Which syllabus do we follow?

Ashbourne follows the AQA specification for GCSE History.

What is covered in this course?

Understanding the modern world: Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and communism (period study) and Conflict and tension: The inter-war years, 1918–1939 (wider world depth study). Shaping the nation: Britain, Power and the people c1170 to the present day (thematic study) and Elizabethan England, c1568–1603 (British depth study)

Understanding the modern worldShaping the nation
Russia, 1894–1945: Tsardom and communism


The period building up to to the Second World War was fraught with tension. Students look in depth at the complex and diverse interests of different states, including the Great Powers, to understand how and why conflict occurred. They will also consider how key individuals and groups helped shape change and were affected by international relations. They will take three focal points to examine this period: Peacemaking, The League of Nations and international peace and The origins and outbreak of the Second World War.

Britain: Power and the people: c1170 to the present day
Why have people’s rights and their relationship with the state changed? How have people challenged authority and how have governments responded to those challenges? How has Parliament and parliamentary democracy evolved? What impact have changes in political status had on people’s lives? What is the significance of key individuals and events in the changing relationship between the individual and the state?

Students will sweep across nearly 850 years of British history to examine how the relationship between citizen and state has developed, from feudalism and serfdom to democracy and equality. They will consider a wide range of factors shaping this connection including war, religion, chance, government, communication, economy, new ideas such as equality, democracy and representation and the role of the individual in encouraging or inhibiting change.

Students will explore four contexts: Challenging authority and feudalism, Challenging royal authority, Reform and reformers, Equality and rights.

Elizabethan England, c1568–1603
Elizabeth I, daughter of notorious Tudor King Heny VIII and Anne Boleyn, kept a tight reign for 35 years during a time of religious tension, political scheming and power struggles, and turbulent relations in Europe.

In this British depth study students will explore three themes: Elizabeth’s court and Parliament, Life in Elizabethan times and Troubles at home and abroad. They will also carry out a study of an historic environment of Elizabethan England, such as a Tudor manor house, theatre or village, town or city for example, and relate their understanding of the events and developments of the period to that site.

Who teaches this course?

Joanna Budden

BA History (Leeds); PGCE (Manchester Metropolitan University)
Joanna has been teaching History at Ashbourne and is also an examiner for the Edexcel exam board. She is a keen traveller and loves the great outdoors.


Why Choose Ashbourne College?
I was drawn to apply to Ashbourne at first based on their phenomenal reputation in the UK, but the reality far exceeded my expectations… No single teacher had the same approach to teaching a subject, which was much more refreshing than the standard lecture & questions approach. From team quizzes during revision period, to weekly workbooks matching the syllabus – the organisation and creativity of my tutors really helped the content stick in my head, which made revision easier when exams came around. My personal tutor was extremely supportive throughout my UCAS application. He would reply emails near instantly if I had any questions, be on hand for regular support when I needed it and loaned me materials to read directly related to my chosen course – Law. Albeit slightly frustrating with the constant tweaking required to my personal statement every week, this was more of a fine tuning process as he would not stop until he knew my personal statement was as perfect as it could be, and I am very grateful for his determination!The hard work and determination required of you at Ashbourne really set me up for life at university as I knew what I had to do to stay ahead and still even applied revision tactics and tips from Ashbourne tutors to my final year of my law degree
NatashaLaw at Queen Mary (University of London); Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP Law School
She feels well respected as a pupil and gets the assistance she needs to understand the material
Dr Barry RhuleMathematics and Physics Tutor